Vending-machine.



C. F. RICHARDSON.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICAUON rpLEu1uN|5,1915.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916..

Wl/x Ic. If. RICHARDSON.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Ilma Is. Isls.

1,269,758, Patented Dec. 26,1916.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2- C. F. RICHARDSON,

venom@ MAcHmE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16' |915- 15209358. Patented Dec. 26,1916.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

` Merda@ C. F. RICHARDSON.

vENmNG MAcHlNE.

. APPLICATlQN FILED IUNE 16| 191:5. 1,209,758. Patented Dec. 26,1916.

6 SHEETS-.SHEET 4.

izadesj C. F. RICHARDSON.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 1uN|e ,4915.

Patented Dec. 26,1916.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

Cl F. RICHARDSON.

VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED IIIIIE Is, IsIs.

l ,$09,758. Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

6 SHEETS*SHEET 6.

CHARLES F. RICHARDSON', 0F WOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND, .ASSIGNOR TO' WM.FILENES SUNS COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS.

VENDING-MAGHINE.

Application filed June 16, 1915.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, (li-mimics` F. RICHARD- SON, a citizen of theUnited. States, and a resident of the city of lVoonsocket, in thecountyof Providence, State of Rhode lsland, have invented new and usefulImpronements in Vending-Machines, ot which .the following is aspecilication.

This invention relates broadly to check controlled appara-tus and morespecifically to the delivery mechanism for a coi-n controlled vendingmachine.

The principal object of this invention. is to provide a deliverymechanism for a vending machine with locking devices which prevent theactuation of the delivery mechanism until after the coin controlleddevices have completed a predetermined operation.

Jfinother object ot this invention is to provide a delivery mechanismfor a: vending machine wherein the coin controlled locks and coinhandlingdevices have a predetermined movement prior to the movement ofthe delivery mechanism which is provided with locking devices forpositively preventing movement of the delivery mechanism during the saidpreliminary movement of the coin handling mechanisms.

A further object of this invention is to provide a delivery mechanismfor a coin controlled vending machine wherein the delivery devices arecontrolled and operated by a shaft which is jonrnaled in and has thesame axis of rotation as the shaft which carries the coin handlingmechanisms.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a deliverymechanism for a coin control-led vending machine wherein the articles tohe vended are carried in a magazine directly over the axis of the shaftupon which rotary ejectors are mounted whereby the lowermost package ina column of packages within the magazine is ejected during the'operationof the delivery mechanism.

A still further obj ect of this invention is to provide a deliverymechanism lor a vending machine wherein the articles to be delivered arearranged in a vertical stack directly over the ejecting mechanism insuch manner that the lowermost article is ejected at substantially rightangles to the axis of said stack, the ejecting mechanism includingrotary ejectors mounted directly beneath the said stack of articles.

A. still further and primary object of this SpecificationA of LettersPatent.

Patented Dec. 26', i916. Serial No. 34,448.

invention is to provide the ejecting devices` of a. delivery mechanismfor vending machines with yielding' means to control the direction ofdelivery of the vended article after its. ejection from a magazine.

A stilll further and primary object of this invention is to provide anejecting mechanism` for a delivery device for vending machines, whichejects a package sidewise from. a magazine in substantially a horizontaldirection and delivers said package from a delivery chute in an endwisedownwardly inclined direction.

A further object of this invention is to provide a delivery mechanismfor a vending machine wherein the delivered article fis ejected sidewisefrom a magazine, turned through substantially ninety degrees. and'delivered endwise from a delivery chute.

Still other and further objectsA of this invention will in part beobvious and will in part be pointed out hereinafter in the speciticationby reference to a preferred form of my invention as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings forming a.- part of this specitication and whereinlike characters are used to represent like parts throughout the severalfigures thereo Figure l is an elevational view showing portions of oneembodiment of my invention with the parts sectioned on substantially amid-vertical plane of the device. Fig. 24 is an extended diagrammaticperspective view illustrating the relationship between-the coincontrolled apparatus and a portion of the delivery mechanism includingone of the ejector wheels. Fig. 8 is likewise a diagrammatic extendedperspective view illustrating the relationship of parts, and moreparticularly the clutch, and locking mechanisms intermediate the coincontrolled device and the delivery mechanism. Fig. 4.- is an elevationaldetail view of a portion of the mechanism intermediate section lines A.and B in F ig. l looking in the direction of the arrow. F ig. 5 is aview similar to Fig. t, with the exception that the view is takenbetween the section lines B and C of Fig. l also looking in thedirection ot the arrow. Fig. 6 is a detail view with a. portion oi thedelivery chute broken away to illustrate the action and movements of apackage during the operation of delivery of the package. Fig. 7 is adetail view showing a part of the front portion of the device broken insectie-n and also illustrating the action and movements of a packageduring its delivery from the magazine.

The drawings and specification together with the claims, all presentedherewith and constituting the present application, relate moreespecially to a preferred embodiment of the delivery mechanism of myvending machine; the coin controlled mechanism of which is more fullyillustrated, described and specifically claimed in the companionapplication Serial No. 10,892 filed in the United States Patent Officeon or about the 27th day of February, 1915. The claims in that caserelating to the coin controlled structure specically, whereas in thepresent application the delivery mechanism constitutes the specificfeature which is herein claimed.

It is particularly desirable that the delivery mechanism of a vendingmachine be constructed in such manner that it is not operative unlessunder complete control of a coin controlled device which has beenproperly unlocked by the introduction of a predetermined coin. It isalso particularly desirable that the delivery mechanism of a vendingmachine be simple in its construction, yet

positive in its actuation in order to insure the delivery of a packagewhen the machine is properly operated. Since vending machines are usedby the general public and are liable to abuse during operation it isnecessary that the parts, and particularly the delivery mechanism, beconstructed to guard against breakage and also to guard againstsurreptitious operation of themachine by unscrupulous persons who mayattempt to secure the goods without depositing the proper coin inpayment therefor.

In order to solve these problems I have in my preferred embodimentconstructed the coin controlled' mechanisms as one unit and the deliverymechanisms as a dierent unit and have provided intermediate deviceswhereby the coin controlled mechanisms are enabled to control thedelivery mechanisms. 'Io obtain, simplicity and strength in my preferredembodiment I have constructed the delivery mechanism of such characterthat substantially all major movements thereof are rotary motions. Toguard against surreptitious operation of the delivery mechanism, in thepreferred embodiment of my invention, I have provided the ejectingmechanism with a positive lock, which lock is constructed to be releasedafter the coin controlled mechanism has been unlocked by a properpredetermined coin. To facilitate the delivery of relatively long andflat articles, for example boxes, in the preferred form of theembodiment of my invention I have constructed the ejecting and deliverymechanisms so that such an article is ejected sidewise from a magazineand is then delivered endwise through a proper predetermined exitopening.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1, 5, 6 and 7,the packages X to be vended are arranged in a stack in a removablemagazine 1 which is mounted upon and secured to the main frame 2 of themachine. A pair of L-shaped brackets 4- are attached to the lower sideof the removable magazine 1 and extend beneath the said magazine tocomprise supports upon which the lowermost package in the stack isadapted to rest. The wall 5 on the delivery side of the magazine is cutaway to provide an opening through which the package to be vended may beejected. The vertical distance between the upper surfaces of the L-shaped brackets 4; and the lower edge of the wall 5 is slightly greaterthan the individual vertical height of the packages in the stack. Sincethe packages are removed from the stack by sliding the lowermost packagesidewise through the opening in the side wall 5, it will be seen thatthe relationship specified, between the brackets a and the lower edge ofthe side wall 5, prevents more than a single package from being ejectedat one time. In order to maintain the packages seated securely upon theL-shaped brackets I provide a weight follower 6 which rests upon theuppermost package. The sides of this follower are recessed as at 7 toaccommodate the shoe of a coin slot closure in a manner which will behereinafter explained.

In the preferred form of my invention, a main shaft 8 for the deliverymechanism is mounted directly beneath the package magazine and the endsof this main shaft, as at 9 and 10, may be reduced to comprise studswhich are journaled in the main frame and in the driving shaft,respectively. This main shaft S carries a pair of irregularly shapeddelivery wheels 11 and 12 that are secured upon the main shaft in anyconvenient manner, as for example by means of the pins 111. Thesedelivery wheels are provided with ejector projections 15 which arearranged at one side of and adjacent to the flat portions 16, and areadapted to contact with the edge of the package to be delivered to ejectthe same. A gate 17 is pivotally mounted, as for example upon a shortshaft 18, that is carried by the studs or bosses 19 on the main frame 2.This gate 17 is normally retained horizontally beneath the lowermostpackage with the barrier 20 on the outer end thereof in the path whichthe lowermost package must traverse in being ejected from the magazine.When in normal position it will be seen that the barrier 2O on the gate17 positively prevents the surreptitious removal of any packages bymeans of hooks or catches which might possibly be introduced through the.delivery Chute with the intention of fraudulently extracting packagesfrom the machine. In order to maintain the barrier 20 in position, thegate 17 is provided with a downward extension 2l Which preferablycarries at its lower end a small anti-friction roller 22 which normallyrests upon a tip of an S-shaped cam 24 Which is Xedly mounted upon themain shaft 8, as for example by means of the pin 25. By referring toFigs. 2, 4 and 5, it Will be noted that when in normal position the flatportions 16 of the delivery Wheels are directlv beneath the loivermostpackage in the stack of packages. F rom Figs. 5 and 7 it Will be notedthat the fiat portions terminate in curves Which tend to slightly tipthe edge of the package adjacent the ejectors 15 and this has a tendencyto facilitate the ejection of the package when the delivery mechanism isactuated. Referring now more particularlv to Figs. G and 7, the deliverychute 26 is provided with a pair of light leaf springs 27 which engagethe edge of a package as it is ejected from the stack and are ieXed insuch inanner as is illustrated by dotted vlines in AFig. It will benoted in this figure that the parts are shown With the deliverymechanism actuated to such position that the ejector projections l5 haveengaged the edge of the package to be delivered and have moved the saidpackage a slight distance from its normal position in th-e magazine. ltis also to be noted that the barrier 17 has dropped because of theantifriction roller 22 having passed into the depression in the S-shapedcam 24 suiiiciently to remove the barrier 20 entirely from the path ofthe package. As the package is ejected as is indicated by the dottedline position thereof, it Will be noted that it is turned throughsubstantially ninety degrees by means of the combined action of theejector Wheels and the light leaf springs 27 so that the package dropsupon one edge and slides endWise out of the mouth of the inclineddelivery chute. By ejecting the package edgewise and delivering itendivise, considerable space is conserved and also one corner of thepackage first engages with the bottom of the chute so that the pivotedfalling movement of the package gives it a good initial start whichtendsto properly eject the same from the exit chute (see F ig. 6). i

It is particularly desirable that the delivery vmechanism be positivelylocked until a predetermined coin has been introduced into the coincontrolled mechanism and until said coin is beyond the reach andrecovery of the operator. In order to accomplish this desideratum I haveprovided a locking latch intermediate the driving shaft, Which is coincontrolled, and the main delivery lshaft 8, This said locking member ismounted on a short shaft 34 which is -M carried by bosses 35 formed onthe inner side of the main frame 2 and the latch is normally urgedtoward the short cylinder' 3l by means of the coiled spring-36. A release arm 37 in the present embodiment of my invention, is formedintegral with the locking latch, and has its upper end in the path ofthe actuating lug 38 that is struck from the side of the pawl carryingarm 39 which is secured to the by such means as the collar or sleeve 4land cooperation of the pin 42. This paWl carrying arm 39 carries aclutch paivl 44 the face of which pawl is urged against the notchedclutch disk 45 by means of a spring 46. This notched disk 45 is carriedupon the main shaft 8 and is iiXedly secured thereon, as for example'bymeans of the piu 47. The outer end of the clutch pawl itl is rounded asat 48 so that when the dri'Y shaft is rotated the rounded part 48 .villengage with the stationary releasing cani 49 which is preferably mountedupon the front plate 50 and disengages the paivl from the notch in thedisk 45. The relationship of the notches 51 in the clutch disk 45, thepaivl 44, and the stationary releasing cam 48, is such that the mainshaft 8 is turned through one-half revolution While the driving shaft 40makes one complete revolution.

By this action it will be noted that the ejector projections l5 operatein successive alternation, that is, first one set, and then the otherset, are effective in the delivery of packages.

The driving shaft 40 is normally locked and is under control of coincontrolled devices ivhich, as above stated, are more specificallydescribed and set forth in my copending application. The deliverymechanism forming the present application, might in a broad sense, becontrolled and operated by various types of driving mechanism, however,in the present case I prefer that it be controlled by the devicesdisclosed in my said fro-pending application. These coin controlleddevices include a coin plate 52 secured on the driving shaft 40. Thiscoin plate carries on its front portion a pair of coin studs 54 whichare arranged between the ends of segmental guard members 55. Theadvancing end of each segmental guard is provided with a knife edge 56that lies adjacent the periphery of the coin plate 52. It obvious thatthese knife edges 5G pass adjacent the Walls of the inlet chute 57 andthe coin outlet chute 58 rso that When the driving shaft rotates theseknives will sever any strings or Wires attached to the coin with theintention of extracting a vcoin after driving shaft 40 .ing i thelocking devices had been released. The coin studs 54 are so located thatthe distance between the peripheries of these studs are slightly lessthan the diameter of a predetermined coin to permit a coin or slug whichis smaller than a predetermined coin to fall between the said studs anddrop out of the machine in the path indicated by the short arrows, F ig.2. The width of the inlet chute 57 is very slightly larger than the sizeof a predetermined coin to prevent slugs or tokens of a diameter greaterthan a predetermined coin from being inserted in the device. An ejectorplateA 59 is secured to the front plate 50 and lies between thesegmental guards 55 and the hub 60 of the coin plate. This ejector plate59 causes a coin to be ejected from between the pair of coin studs 54after the coin has passed the releasing mechanism and projects the coininto the proper coin chute G1 which leads to the coin boX 62. The longarrows Fig. 2, indi cate the path of travel of a normal predeterminedcoin.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, it will be noted that an irregular ratchetwheel 64 is secured to the driving shaft 40, for example by means of thecollar 65 and pin 66. This irregular' ratchet wheel 64 is provided withtwo locking teeth 67 and 68 between which normally lies the locking head69 of the locking pawl 70. This locking pawl 7 0 may be carried upon abracket such as 71 which may be attached to the front plate, and in thepresent embodiment, the locking pa-wl carries integral therewith an armwhich supports at its outer end a coin contact roller 7 2. This coincontact roller is adapted to be raised by contact with a proper coinresting on the coin studs 54 when the operating handle 74 is turned in aclockwise direction. By reference to Figs. 2 and 3 it will be noted thatthe raising of this coin contact roller likewise raises the locking head69 from between thelocking teeth 67 and 68 thus permitting the operatinghandle 74 to be turned forward to complete its revolution. After thecoin controlled parts have been unlocked as just described, a furthercontinued turning of the driving shaft 40, by means of the operatinghandle, causes the clutch pawl 44 to engage the clutch disk 45 and theactuating lug 38 to cooperate with the releasing arm 37 therebyunlocking the locking latch 32 and permitting the delivery mechanism tobe actuated through one-half revolution.

As explained and claimed in my co-pending application, it is desirablethat the operating handle 74 be maintained in a vertical position, andtherefore a centering device is provided which comprises (see F ig. 3) acentralizing lever 75 that contacts with pins 7 6 and v77 carried onopposite sides of the ratchet wheel G4. This centralizing lever 75 isnormally held in contact with said pins 76 and 77 by means of thecontractile spring 78. One end of the centralizing lever 75 is pivotedto the front plate 50, as for example by means of the stud 7 9, and thefree end of this lever carries an overthrow arm 80 which is normallyheld against the stop pin 81 by the spring 82. Preferably the pin 7G islonger than the pin r77 and the outer end of the overthrow arm 8O isoffset as at 8l to enable the pin 77 to pass thereunder, while theoffset portion will engage the pin 7 7 and the spring 82 in conjunctionwith the spring 78 will turn the parts from dead center and restore theoperating handle 74 to a vertical position.

`After all the packages in the magazine have been vended by the deliverymechanisni, it is desirable to close the coin inlet chute 57, and forthis purpose l have provided a notched plate S5 which is formed withslots to receive the screws S6 that set in the pedestals 87. This plate85 is also provided with a depending arm to which is attached acontractile spring 88 that normally presses the shoe 89 lightly againstthe ends of the packages X within the magazine 1. lt will be noted thatas the packages are ejected the weighted follower 6 which is in contactwith the uppermost package, moves downward and when the last package isejected the weighted follower rests upon the L-shaped brackets 5. Asihas previously been specified, the ends of this weighted follower (5 arerecessed as at 7 so that the said weighted follower does not Contactwith the shoe 89 of the coin closure device, consequently this followerdoes not interfere with the inward movement of the shoe 89 and thecorresponding movement of the plate 85 caused by contraction of thespring ed, so that the coin passage notch is carried beyond the coininlet chute and thus rthe coin inlet chute is substantially closed.

The weighted follower 6 has a further function in that it imposessuiiicient weight upon the stack of packages to prevent the packagebeing ejected from being tipped downward too quickly by the light leafsprings 27. The weighted follower assists in obviating the possibilityof the package being caught or jammed between the ends of the bracketsli and the end of the side wall 5 of the magazine.

f am aware that it is possible to vary the physical embodiment of myinvention without departing from the scope thereof, so therefore ldesire that the specific construction disclosed in the drawings,constituting a part of this specification, and described in the saidspecification, be considered as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. ln a device ofthe class described in combination, a main frame, a magazine removablymounted upon said main frame and adapted to contain articles arranged ina stack, a main shaft beneath said magazine, delivery Wheels carried bysaid shaft, ejector projections provided upon said delivery Wheels, abarrier normally preventing the delivery of packages from said magazine,a cam mounted upon said delivery shaft to permit said barrier to move toinoperative position when said main shaft is turned, locking devicesnormally preventing rotary motion of said main shaft, means foroperating said locking devices to release said main shaft, said meansincluding a driving shaft, a clutch intermediate said driving shaft andsaid main shaft, and means for rendering said clutch inoperative whenthe main shaft has been rotated through a predetermined rotativedistance.

2. In a device of the class described `in combination, a main frame, amagazine removably mounted upon said main frame and adapted to containarticles arranged in a stack, a main shaft, delivery wheels carried bysaid main shaft, ejector projections provided upon said delivery Wheels,a gate having a barrier on the end thereof normally in the path of thepackage delivered from said magazine, a cam mounted upon said main shaftto permit said gate to drop and remove said barrier from the specifiedpath, locking devices normally preventing rotation of said main shaft,means for unlocking said locking devices, a driving shaft, a clutchintermediate said driving shaft and said main shaft, and a stationarycam coperating with one member of said clutch to render said clutchinedective when the main shaft has rotated through a predeterminedrotative distance.

3. In a vending machine in combination, a main frame, a magazineremovably secured to ,aid main frame, a main shaft` a pair of deliverydevices mounted upon said main shaft, a gate provided with a barrier fornormally preventing the exit of packages from said magazine, a cammounted on said main shaft and operatively connected with said gate topermit said gate to drop the barrier to inoperative position when saidmain shaft is actuated, a lock for normally preventing actuation of the.main shaft, a driving shaft, a clutch intermediate said driving shaftand said main shaft, and means to release said lock prior to theeffective operation of said clutch.

4. In a device of the class described in combination, a main frame, amagazine removably secured to said main frame, a main shaft, a pair ofdelivery devices mounted upon said main shaft, a barrier normallypreventing the exit of packages from said magazine, means operated bysaid main shaft to move said barrier to inoperative position When saidmain shaft is actuated,

a lock for normally preventing the actuation of said main shaft, adriving shaft, a clutch intermediate said driving shaft and said mainshaft, and means to release said locking devices prior to the effectiveoperation of said clutch.

5:'In a device of the class described in combination, a main frame, amagazine removably secured to said main frame, a main shaft, a pair ofdelivery Wheels mounted upon said main shaft, supporting means carriedby said magazine and adapted to retain packages Within said magazineadjacent to said delivery Wheels, a barrier normally preventing theremoval of packages from said magazine, a cam carried upon said mainshaft and effective to permit said barrier to be moved to an ineffectiveposition, a lock for normally preventing rotative movement of said mainshaft, a driving shaft, means for releasing said lock When said drivingshaft has been ro tated a predetermined amount, and a clutch fortransmitting power from said driving shaft to said main shaft.

6. In a device of the class described in combination, a main frame, amagazine cai ried on the upper portion of said main frame, a main shaft,a pair of deliver.r devices mounted upon said main shaft, a barriernormally preventing the exit of packages from said magazine, a doublecam carried by said main shaft and operatively connected with saidbarrier to drop said barrier to inoperative position when said mainshaft is actuated, a lock for normally preventing the actuation of saidmain shaft, a driving shaft, a mechanism normally limiting the rotationof said driving shaft, a clutch intermediate said driving shaft and saidmain shaft, and means to release the said lock prior to the effectiveoperation of said clutch.

7. In a device of the class described in combination, a main frame, amagazine removably secured to said main frame and being adapted toretain articles in a stack, supporting members extending beneath saidmagazine, one Wall of said magazine terminating above said supportingmembers at a distance slightly greater than the indi vidual verticalheight of packages to be delivered, a barrier normally preventingpackages from being removed from said magazine, a main shaft, deliverydevices operated by the rotation of said main shaft, means to rendersaid barrier ineffective When said main shaft is rotated, a drivingshaft, devices intermediate said driving shaft and said main shaft totransmit power from said driving shaft to said main shaft, and amechanism for rendering said power transmitting devices ineffective totransmit power after said main shaft has rotated through a predetermineddistance.

8. In a device of the class described in combination, a main frame, amagazine re` movably secured to the upper portion of said main frame, amain shaft, a pair of delivery wheels mounted upon said main shaft,supporting means carried by said magazine and adapted to retain packageswithin said magazine adjacent to said delivery wheels7 a barriernormally preventing removal of packages from said magazine, a cam uponsaid main shaft and constructed to permit said barrier to drop toineffective position, a lock for normally preventing rotative movementof said main shaft, a driving shaft, means for releasing` said lock whensaid driving shaft has been rotated a predetermined amount, a devicecarried by said driving shaft and normally limiting the rotation of saiddriving shaft, and a clutch for transmitting power from said drivingshaft to said main shaft.

9. 1n a device of the class described in combination, a main frame, amagazine removably secured to the upper portion oi said main frame, apair of supports eX- tending beneath said magazine, one wall of saidmagazine terminating above said suppor at a distance slightly greaterthan the individual vertical height of packages to be delivered, abarrier normally preventing packages from being removed from saidmagazine, a main shaft, delivery devices operated by the rotation ofsaid main shaft, means to render said barrier inedective when said mainshaft is rotated, a driving shaft, controlling devices for limiting therotative movement of said driving shaft, devices intermediate saiddriving shaft and said main shaft to transmit power from said drivingshaft to said main shaft, and,

a mechanism for rendering the power transmitting device ineffective totransmit power after said main shaft is rotated to a predetermineddistance.

, 10. 1n a device of the class described in combination, a magazineadapted to maintain articles in aV stack, a main shaft, delivery devicesoperated by said main shaft to eject packages from said magazine whensaid main shaft is rotated, a barrier controlling the eXit from saidmagazine, means for rendering said barrier inoperative when said mainshaft is operated, a lock for said main shaft, driving shaft, a lock forsaid driving shaft, and means for transmitting power from said drivingshaft to said main shaft.

11. In a device of the class described in combination, a container forarticles to be delivered, said container being provided with an eXitopening in one side wall thereof, a barrier normally closing the exitfor` said container to prevent articles from being extracted throughsaid exit opening, means to render said barrier ineective, rotativedevices for engaging and ejecting a package from said container, adriving shaft for operating said rotative devices, a clutch intermediatesaid driving shaft and the rotative devices, mechanism for normallylimiting the movement of said driving shaft, and means for renderingsaid clutch ineffective after a package has been ejected from saidcontainer.

12. .ln a vending machine in combination, a vertical magazine adapted tomaintain relatively flat articles in a stack, a main shaft adjacent saidmagazine, delivery devices operable by said main shaft to eject packagesfrom said Amagazine when said main shaft is actuated, a barriercontrolling the exit from said magazine, means for rendering saidbarrier inoperative when said main shaft is operated, a lock for saidmain shaft, a driving shaft having a predetermined movement independentof said main shaft, a lock for said driving shaft, and means fortransmitting power from said driving shaft to said main shaft.

13. In a vending machine in combination, a container for articles to bedelivered, a pair of delivery wheels provided with ejector projections,means to maintain a single article to be delivered adjacent saiddelivery wheels and in the path of said ejector projections when saiddelivery wheels are rotated, means for normally obstructing the path ofthe article adjacent the delivery wheels, means for rotating saiddelivery wheels, devices for removingrsaid obstructi ing means, and alock for normally preventing moifement of said delivery wheels.

14. 1n a vending machine in combination, a container for articles to bedelivered, a delivery wheel mounted for rotation directly beneath saidcontainer, said delivery wheel being formed with a flat portion, ejectorproject-ions adjacent said flat portion, a support to maintain a packagein said magazine above said delivery wheel, a barrier for preventing thepackage from being removed from said support when the flat portion ofsaid delivery wheel is beneath said package, means to actuate saiddelivery wheel, and a cam constructed to permit said barrier to beremoved when said delivery wheel is actuated.

15. in a vending machine in combination, a container for relatively fiatarticles to be vended, an abutment to receive and support apredetermined article to be ejected from said vending machine, a drivingshaft, a main shaft, ejecting devices operated bv said main shaft, andmeans to cause sai'd driving shaft to actuate said main shaft after saiddriving' shaft has been rotated through a predetermined amount of'rotation.

16. In a device of the class described in combination, a container forarticles to be delivered, a delivery wheel mounted for rotation directlybeneath said container, said delivery wheel being formed with a flatportion, an ejector projection adjacent said flat portion, means tosupport a package above Vsaid delivery Wheel, a barrier for preventingthe package from being removed from said support when the flat portionof said delivery wheel is beneath said package, and means for removingsaid barrier when said delivery wheel is actuated.

17. In a vending machine in combination, a main frame, a magazineremovably mounted upon the upper portion of said main frame, a pair ofdelivery Wheels within said main frame and beneath said magazine, a faceplate carried by and inclosing the front end of said main frame, adriving shaft carried by said face plate, a main shaft supporting saiddelivery wheels, said main shaft having one end j ournaled in said mainframe and the other end journaled in said driving' shaft, and means fortransmitting power from said driving shaft to said main shaft.

18. In a vending machine in combination, a magazine for containingrelatively flat articles in a stack, ejector devices to remove thebottom article from said stack by sliding the same in substantially ahorizontal direction, a pair of light leaf springs normally in the pathof the ejected article and constructed to be flexed when said article isbeing ejected, said springs having their upper ends iiXedly mounted andtheir lower ends slidably mounted to exert a force to turn the ejectedarticle through ninety degrees.

19. In a vending machine in combination, a container for a plurality ofarticles to be vended, ejecting devices for removing a predeterminedarticle from said container, an exit chute adjacent said container, saidexit chute being provided with an inclined bottom wall, a pair ofresilient curved leaf springs having their upper ends attached to saidchute, and having their lower ends slidably resting against the innerwall of said chute, said springs being constructed to be in the path ofan ejected article, the parts being constructed and arranged to eject apackage sidewise from said magazine, to turn said package through ninetydegrees, and to discharge said package from said delivery chute endwisewith the sides of said package in substantiallyvertical planes.

20. In a vending machine 1n combination,

a container for a plurality of relatively fiat Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the packages arranged ina stack, a weight resting upon said stack, a support beneath said stack,means to eject the bottom article of said stack through an exit opening,and reu silient devices normally in the path of said ejected article,said resilientj devices being constructed to turn said delivered articleduring its expulsion from said stack, said weight being of a suiiicientmagnitude to prevent said resilient devices from turning the saidarticle prior to its clearing the walls of the exit opening.

21. In a vending machine in combination, a delivery mechanism, a drivingdevice for operating said delivery mechanism, a container for articlesto be delivered, a follower movable in said container in cordinationwith the movement of the articles in the container, and a slidable gateendwise movable when the supply of packages in the container isexhausted, a shoe connected with said gate and resting upon packages insaid container, said follower being recessed to accommodate said shoewhen all of said packages have been ejected from said container.

22. As an article of manufacture, a delivery wheel for a vendingmachine, said delivery wheel including a construction symmetric withitself when rotated through one hundred and eighty degrees andcomprising on its periphery a flat portion, a convex curve extendingfrom said flat portion, a concave curve of relatively short radiusadjacent said conveX portion, the center of said concave curve beingoutside the periphery of said wheel, an ejector projection adjacent saidconcave curve, and a second convex curve of relatively large radiusleading a predetermined distance from said projection.

23. In a vending machine in combination, a container for articles to bevended, a driving mechanism, a delivery device for ejecting apredetermined article from said container, a clutch intermediate saiddriving mechanism and said delivery device, said clutch including a diskprovided with a notch, an arm, a pawl mounted on said arm, and astationary cam operative to render said pawl ineffective after saiddriving mechanism has rotated a predetermined distance.

CHARLES F. RICHARDSON.

Witnesses:

ROY J. SOULER, AUSTIN M. WILSON.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

